Across Ten Thousand Years: How Sanya Is Bringing Archaeology, Wellness and Tourism Together

On 17 October 2026, the Lobidong site park hosted the second event of the campaign "From Ten Thousand Years to This Moment — Hear the Echoes of Civilization in Sanya."

The event was organized in support of cultural heritage preservation, cultural and tourism development, and the broader construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

It came on the back of several recent milestones: Lobidong has been shortlisted for a national archaeological park, the latest round of excavations has produced significant results, and Sanya's reputation for wellness tourism rooted in traditional Chinese medicine keeps growing.

The event was organized by the Sanya Bureau of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports, the Sanya Public Cultural Center, and the Sanya Lobidong Site Protection Center. And the seaviewhainan.com team brought together young explorers and their parents who became curious about the cave after reading our first article about it!

We all gathered at the ancient cave to set off on an immersive cultural journey across ten thousand years — one that brought together archaeological exploration, TCM wellness, intangible cultural heritage, and hands-on workshops. Culture shapes tourism, and tourism promotes culture — a vivid testament to Sanya's high-quality integrated development of culture and tourism.

Guests arrived at the Lobidong site on a themed cultural bus and, led by a guide, began the "Secrets of the Ancient Site" tour. In the exhibition hall they learned about changes in sea level and how ancient ancestors lived — hunting, gathering and fishing.

Guests then moved to the plaza by the cliff, where a series of interactive activities and workshops got underway.

Even the ongoing excavations at the cave — happening right now — didn't get in the way of the celebration. In fact, they gave guests a rare peek behind the scenes of science: trays of ancient soil, just carried out of the dig and ready for sieving, lay right before them. Ten thousand years of history felt close enough to touch. 

In this incredible place, cradled by the ancient cliff and green mountains — where our ancestors lived ten thousand years ago — we held a tai chi workshop, breathing in the morning scent of green herbs.

 A traditional Chinese medicine doctor was also on hand offering pulse diagnosis to anyone interested, and guests could brew tea and enjoy it amid the mountain splendor. 

A incense master demonstrated traditional incense-burning techniques, while children got to feel like real archaeologists — digging up a surprise gift and, together with their parents, making a Chinese aromatic sachet.

This promotional event for the Lobidong site is an innovative example of Sanya's push for multi-faceted integration — "site + exploration + intangible heritage + wellness." In recent years, Sanya has been steadily deepening its study of local historical and cultural resources, broadening its cultural and tourism offerings for all ages, and shifting tourism consumption from "quick look" sightseeing toward deeply immersive experiences.

The event organically connected the ten-thousand-year-old civilization of Lobidong with Sanya's unique TCM wellness tourism resources: it brings cultural education to local families and tells Sanya's story to international visitors, further enriching Sanya's cultural and tourism offerings and giving the tourism market a deeper historical core.

Looking ahead, as Sanya works toward creating the Lobidong National Archaeological Park, the city will continue to build on the park's resources — refining themed cultural events that are "visible, understandable and fun," activating the results of archaeological excavations, reviving the vitality of millennia-old cultural heritage, and continuously unleashing the powerful momentum of cultural heritage for cultural and tourism development — all contributing to the high-quality growth of the cultural and tourism industry in the Hainan Free Trade Port.